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Do you think the TV license should be scrapped?

Should the TV license be scrapped?


  • Total voters
    43
Vanessa Feltz - £355,000 a year for doing radio shows. Huw Edwards - £490,000 for reading the news on camera. They could easily find or train adequate replacements for just these two examples for a fifth of that yearly rate, but it just seems like a gravy train with no brakes. Those two are not some sort of brilliant irreplaceable talent. They try to justify it by saying that people at other channels can demand similar salaries but the point is that they should not be 'competing' with other broadcasters, and some have said they're supposed to be a public service. They shouldn't be throwing money around like it's going out of fashion so that they win loads of awards and suchlike. They should just be there to make good programmes on a sensible budget. Why do they have to battle ITV on a Saturday or any other night in a ratings war? Boost the ego's of those running the corporation and the various productions? As I said, it's just wasteful because it can be.
 
Don't scrap it as BBC radio and other services are pretty good, even if the TV offerings aren't so good, but stop sending students millions of manipulative letters at the start of each academic year. waste of paper, time, and money. They're worded to try and suggest they'll take you to court if you even think of owning a TV it's daft.
 
Oh how times dont change.
I remember getting several of those about three decades ago, and the detector van turned up on the student accommodation car park.
It didn't last long!
 
No

And may I say falling for this Conservative-Rupert Murdoch trap of hating on the BBC is very dangerous and defies intelligence.

The BBC is hated by those of extreme views on all political and social spectrums (left, right, liberal, authoritarian). There's a very simple reason for that - the BBC is in the business of facts without bias.

Yes, it isn't perfect, but a UK media without the BBC isn't worth thinking about.
 
The World Cup coverage was excellent 2 years ago and can’t wait to June for the Euro’s. I enjoyed some of the rugby and the coverage of the fa cup. The only thing BBC and ITV is way behind on is it’s movies it shows. BBC need to put more money into comedy as it was the best in the 80’s and 90’s.

With the bbc steam in service you have to sign into BBC I player so they know if your watching it without a licence.
It will all end up as a steaming service
 
I must admit, I do like the BBC's unbiased news reporting, but there are other unbiased news sources out there where you can get news from. Unless they are an opinion piece, most online news papers (e.g. The Guardian, The Independent) seem pretty unbiased.

I'm undecided, but I wouldn't say I fall into any particularly extreme end of the political spectrum. I'd call myself centrist with a slight bias toward the left. I must admit, I'm still not sure what difference a subscription-based BBC would make; it actually sounds like a more effective model to me, as it lets you pay for only the parts you use as opposed to all of it (if you only watch BBC One, for example; under a subscription model, you would only need to pay for BBC One, whereas under the license fee, you're paying for all sorts of channels you don't watch.
 
I do love how within a few posts of @Tom pointing out that the BBC is hated by both political extremes because of its neutrality, we have the usual far-right / anti-government nuts on here screaming and shouting about a perceived agenda.
 
I voted yes, in my opinion, the TV Licence needs to go, simple as...
I have many issues with the BBC but the worst by far, is TV Licence enforcement...

As (I'm 90% sure) it currently works, you need a TV licence to watch any live broadcast including things like twitch.
As long as it's not a live broadcast as it happens (or not IPlayer), then, as far as the BBC should be concerned, its 100% legal!

The problem, is that the BBC acts as a sort of mafia, bullying private citizens into paying what is effectively, protection money!

As far I have seen, the whole process seems to be designed around entrapment.
A standard enforcement visit, normally consists of a disrespectful man trying to trick you into saying anything he can twist into a confession...failing that, he will start being verbally abusive in an attempt to have his implied right of access revoked...at which point he will call it suspicious and obtain a search warrant!

Here's a video of two such warrant visits, it (the video) is made with the intent of exposing police collusion but it does give a good insight into the corrupt tactics used by TVL enforcement.


I find it hard to believe that the BBC doesnt already know about this, they seem to be knowingly complicit and should be dealt with ASAP!
 
No

And may I say falling for this Conservative-Rupert Murdoch trap of hating on the BBC is very dangerous and defies intelligence.

The BBC is hated by those of extreme views on all political and social spectrums (left, right, liberal, authoritarian). There's a very simple reason for that - the BBC is in the business of facts without bias.

Yes, it isn't perfect, but a UK media without the BBC isn't worth thinking about.

Here we go again. "If you don't agree with me you're stupid and easily falling for the lies from some superior authority". That worked out well in the Brexit debate didn't it? :rolleyes: It is actually possible to have a debate without insulting the intelligence of those you're arguing with you know. Maybe try it some time.
 
I spent 10 years working for the BBC. My partner still does.
I know they have an agenda.
What direction is this bias?

I often feel the BBC leans to the right in their reporting. There's been a few times when they've not reported something, or chosen a right-wing place to interview people.

Though as evidenced by this thread, clearly this "bias" goes both ways. I do not see how they're a "political ideology movement".

Anyone who's listened to a local radio station (adverts with the odd song inbetween) would agree BBC Radio is worth protecting!
 
What direction is this bias?
Ah, now this is what catches people out. Most people will claim the BBC are supporting whatever side is they don't like. Not so.
The truth is that the only thing the Beeb gives a toss about is itself. They will support whatever political party is currently in power... Right up to the point that its obvious this party will loose the next election, when guess what? They suddenly support the new favourite!

The only thing the BBC is concerned about is doing whatever it can to keep being given free money.
 
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